Falling sperm counts “threaten the survival of humanity,” researchers warned dramatically today.
The number has more than halved since the 1970s.
And the decline has only accelerated since the turn of the century, a global analysis shows.
Scientists who followed the data from more than 50 countries said: “We have a serious problem.”
Men’s bulging waistlines are being blamed for the worrying trend, as well as “chemicals everywhere” in the environment.
The warning comes on the day that the world’s population has officially passed eight billion.
Experts assume that the toll could even exceed 10 billion by 2100.
Graphic shows: The rate of sperm concentration decreases worldwide from samples collected between 1972 and 2000 (orange) and since 2000 (red).
A report warns that the ongoing decline in sperm counts in men amounts to a global crisis that “could threaten human survival”.
International researchers tracked sperm counts and concentrations from sperm samples around the world between 1973 and 2018 by looking at older studies.
The men involved came from 53 countries, including the UK, US and Australia.
The study in Human Reproduction Update built on existing evidence, which only looked at a fraction of the countries.
The analysis, which provides a first look at trends in South America, Asia and Africa, also includes seven years of additional data from 2011 to 2018.
The data includes figures on sperm count and concentration in semen samples.
Count refers to the total number of sperm in a sample, while concentration accounts for the number of reproductive cells per sperm volume.
The results showed that the average sperm count in men across all continents fell by 51.6 percent between 1973 and 2018.
And concentrations have fallen by 2.64 percent per year since 2000, faster than the previous decline of 1.16 percent per year since 1972.
Trends previously seen in men in North America, Europe and Australia have accelerated, the team said.
And they have also been spotted in South America, Asia and Africa, suggesting that future baby breasts may not be limited to the global North.
Lead author Professor Hagai Levine, an epidemiologist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said: “Our findings act as a canary in a coal mine.
“We have a serious problem that, if left unsolved, could threaten the very existence of humanity.
We call for urgent global action to promote a healthier environment for all species and to reduce exposures and behaviors that threaten our reproductive health
“Overall, we see a significant global decline in sperm count of more than 50 percent over the past 46 years, a decline that has accelerated in recent years.”
Although the current study did not investigate the causes of the decline in sperm count, recent research suggests that disturbances in the development of the reproductive system in fetuses are associated with reduced fertility throughout life.
He said that “lifestyle habits and chemicals in the environment negatively affect the development of this fetus.”
The world population has reached eight billion, the United Nations (UN) has confirmed. This graph shows how the population of certain countries has changed over the past ten years
The World Population Day study found that the slowdown in death rates means that the world population will reach eight billion tomorrow, 8.5 billion in 2030 and 10.4 billion in 2100 (pictured, world population growth over the years).
The sharply falling sperm count is not only a symptom of reduced fertility, but is also linked to more chronic diseases, testicular cancer and shorter lifespans in men, they warned.
Low testosterone, one of the physiological causes of low sperm count, increases the risk of chronic diseases, while testicular cancer can also lead to a decrease in sperm count.
Co-author Professor Shanna Swan, an epidemiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, said the fall could seriously damage men’s health.
She said: “The alarming decline in sperm counts in men … is consistent with negative trends in other health outcomes in men, such as testicular cancer, endocrine dysregulation and genital birth defects, as well as a decline in women’s reproductive health.
“Of course it shouldn’t go unnoticed.”
She previously warned that chemicals “everywhere” such as phthalates in toiletries, food packaging and children’s toys are to blame.
The chemicals cause hormonal imbalances that can wreak “reproductive havoc,” she said.
Factors such as tobacco and marijuana smoking and rising obesity rates can also play a role, Dr. Swan in front.
It comes after a UN report revealed today that it took the world’s population 12 years to grow from 7 billion to 8 billion, fueled by rapid growth in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia.
According to the report, it will now take around 15 years – by 2037 – to reach nine billion, showing that overall global population growth is slowing.
Previous research has shown that birth rates in industrialized countries have been falling for years, driving down the total.
The average woman had two and a half children in 2020, compared to five 50 years ago.
Falling sperm counts were a possible factor cited for the decline, a trend often discussed by the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.
However, some experts are less convinced that sperm quality is to blame.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
